Carolyn Maloney's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Carolyn Maloney has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2016 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests. Historically, candidates have failed to complete our test due to the advice they receive from their parties and advisors and out of fear of negative attack ads.

Issue Positions

In response to the increasing unwillingness of candidates to answer issue questions, Vote Smart has researched Presidential and Congressional candidates' public records to determine candidates' likely responses on certain key issues. These issue positions, from the year 2016, are provided below as a courtesy to voters.

Pro-choice

Abortion: Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?

Vote Smart's Research

"Roe v. Wade provided women with the freedom to choose a safe medical option and allowed them to have control over their own bodies and reproductive lives. On this anniversary we must reaffirm our commitment to preserving women's access to reproductive health care, including the legal right to an abortion." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/481344 (votesmart.org)

Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?

Vote Smart's Research

"Let's extend the middle class tax breaks, but let the tax cuts for the most fortunate expire and use every bit of that revenue to help pay down the deficit and get our economy moving in the right direction." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/733064/everyone-gets-a-tax-cut/?search=tax%20cuts#.V0TLgnUrIfI (votesmart.org)

"With rising income inequality and mounting national debt, it is deeply troubling that we are extending tax cuts to the wealthiest among us despite their proven lack of stimulative effect." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/577269/maloney-statement-on-house-vote-to-extend-bush-era-tax-cuts-and-unemployment-insurance/?search=tax%20cuts#.V0TLq3UrIfI (votesmart.org)

Unknown Position

Crime: Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders?

Vote Smart's Research

Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?

Vote Smart's Research

"Our bridges, our roads, our schools, and other infrastructure are structurally deficient. The two most important responsibilities this Congress faces are keeping Americans safe and helping to create jobs. This is our chance to do both. Let's choose to build a stronger America through making it in America and building it in America with American workers." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/637280/lets-build-a-stronger-america/?search=jobs#.V0TKDnUrIfI (votesmart.org)

"Work on our roads and trains is desperately needed to help America compete, and this badly needed repair work creates jobs that cannot be outsourced. We need to pass the transportation bill now." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/647106/a-sinple-jobs-plan/?search=jobs#.V0TJkXUrIfI (votesmart.org)

Unknown Position

Economy: Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?

Vote Smart's Research

Education: Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?

Vote Smart's Research

"As a former teacher, I can tell you that $700 million in federal funding, along with reforms to make our schools better, will be a huge benefit for generations of students to come." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/547054/rep-maloney-statement-on-ny-winning-race-to-the-top-funding/?search=local#.V0TI9XUrIfI (votesmart.org)

No

Energy: Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline?

Vote Smart's Research

"Let's be clear about what we are getting with Keystone: a dirty and dangerous pipeline running through the heart of our country which will help Canadian oil companies export their oil, and it happens to be the filthiest possible energy form. [â¦] I urge a 'no' vote." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/957819/keystone-xl-pipeline-act/?search=keystone#.V0TBjXUrIfl (votesmart.org)

Yes

Energy: Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?

Vote Smart's Research

"As a member of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Caucus, as well as the Safe Climate Caucus, Congresswoman Maloney understands that investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives is key to combating global warming." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1071201/issue-position-energy-and-environment/?search=renewable#.V0TF4nUrIfI (votesmart.org)

Yes

Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?

"Development of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures are critical to meeting these goals, as well as developing policies for clean water and sustainable energy." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1071201/issue-position-energy-and-environment/?search=renewable#.V0TF4nUrIfI (votesmart.org)

Health Care: Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?

Vote Smart's Research

"All American citizens deserve to have access to good and affordable health care. Thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, millions more Americans are able to secure affordable, quality and accessible health care." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1071176/issue-position-health/?search=affordable%20care%20act#.V0TDCXUrIfI (votesmart.org)

No

Immigration: Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?

Vote Smart's Research

"There are countless hard-working immigrants who want nothing more than to be Americans, and Carolyn has fought for reasonable avenues so that those who seek citizenship may have paths to obtain it." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/888941/issue-position-immigration/?search=citizenship#.V0TFfHUrIfI (votesmart.org)

"Congresswoman Maloney will continue to fight in Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship, keep families intact, create a level playing field, and improve the nation's economy." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1071222/issue-position-immigration/?search=citizenship#.V0TFFXUrIfI (votesmart.org)

Yes

Marriage: Do you support same-sex marriage?

Vote Smart's Research

"Congresswoman Maloney has long supported marriage equality and rejoiced with much of her district, and the country at large, over the Supreme Court's decision to legalize marriage equality in the United States in June 2015." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1071181/issue-position-lgbt-rights#.V0TOKHUrIfI (votesmart.org)

No

National Security: Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support?

Vote Smart's Research

"While there is no doubt that ISIS is a brutal terrorist group that is wreaking havoc in the region, at this time, none of the evidence I have seen, including U.S. intelligence reports, and none of the arguments I have heard convinces me that getting involved in a religious civil war in the Middle East will be successful or effective in keeping our homeland safer." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/925489/continuing-appropriations-resolution-2015/?search=airstrikes#.V0TNZ3UrIfI (votesmart.org)

No

Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?

Vote Smart's Research

"From opposing plans to privatize Social Security or change the benefit-calculation formula to fighting for a meaningful Medicare prescription drug benefit for all, she constantly pushes Congress to strengthen and improve these essential programs." http://votesmart.org/public-statement/1007471/issue-position-seniors-and-social-security/?search=privatize#.V0TAtnUrIfI (votesmart.org)

Key

Official Position: Candidate had the Political Courage to address this issue directly.

Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue directly, but Vote Smart inferred this issue position based on the candidate's public statements, voting record, and evaluations from special interest groups.

Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue.

Vote Smart's Research: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position.

Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as the candidate has submitted it. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

New York Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test

This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.